If you take working on your car into your own hands, soldering wires is a key skill that you’ll want to have. If you don’t have experience working with electrical components, it’s likely that this is your first foray into the world of soldering. Luckily, YouTube car expert ChrisFix is here to help you learn the tips and tools of the trade.
What’s the process for soldering wires?
ChrisFix makes the process of soldering wires simple. You’ll just need a few basic tools, and then you’ll follow these steps to create tough connections that stand the test of time:
- Strip wires
- Heat shrink
- Splice wires
- Solder wires
- Shrink tubing
Soldering Wires: What You Need to Know
First, you’ll want to gather all of the equipment you need to solder wires on your own. You’ll need a soldering iron or gun, flux, solder, wire strippers, heat shrink tubing, a heat gun, safety glasses, silicone (optional) and a wet sponge.
Once you have your equipment assembled, it’s time to get started. Always keep safety your top priority. Wear your safety glasses, don’t touch your soldering iron tip, and don’t lay the soldering iron down on anything.
Pay attention to where you’re soldering–stay away from flammable materials, and remember that to be careful if you solder inside a car, as hot solder could drip onto the carpet and start a fire.
Don’t breathe in smoke created by your project, be sure you’re in a well-ventilated area, and remember, most solder includes lead. When you’re finished with your project, clean your area and thoroughly wash your hands.
You’ll also need to select your solder. You’ll see three choices: lead solder, lead-free solder, and silver solder. You don’t want to use silver solder for electrical work, as this is designed to join metals together (not wires).
You can use lead or lead-free solder for electrical projects. Lead-free solder is better for the environment, but lead solder tends to work better for most electrical projects.
Now that you have your solder and all the tools you need, the process is simple.
- First, strip your wires using your wire stripper. Use care not to cut any of the strands of the wire during the stripping process, as this can cause fires. If you accidentally cut some of the wire, recut and begin the process again.
- Next, choose the thinnest heat shrink that you have that will fit over your wires. The thinner the heat shrink, the easier it will be to shrink and fit over your wire. You’ll want to be sure that you have enough heat shrink to cover a bit of the insulation and all of the exposed wire. Before you start the soldering process, slide the heat shrink down the wire insulation so that it’s prepared to cover the newly soldered area of the wire after you’ve completed the process.
- Now, you’ll connect the two wires that you’re going to solder together. There are several techniques that are effective. One way to do it is to unravel all of the strands from each wire, intermesh the strands, and twist them so they’re cohesive. You can also leave the strands as they are, cross them into an X, and twist the strands around one another. Be sure that you don’t have any sharp edges poking out, as these could eventually pierce your heat shrink and cause a short in the circuit.
- Almost time to solder — but first, you’ll need to use alligator clips to hold your solder steady. You may want to place heat shrink tubing over the ends of the alligator clips of your helping hands device. This can reduce the sharpness of the clips and make it less likely that they’ll cut through the insulation of your wiring when you use them to clamp your project in place.
- Now, rub flux all over the area you’re about to solder. This will help the solder fully penetrate the wires, creating a secure connection. Heat up your soldering gun by holding down the trigger. Use a wet sponge to wipe the tip of your soldering gun, removing any remaining oxidation from your last project.
- Add a small amount of solder to cover the hot tip of your soldering gun. Wipe the tip on the damp sponge again to remove all but a very thin layer of solder.
- Now, hold the tip of your soldering gun up to the copper wire, feeding a little bit of solder at a time into the wire. Thicker wires will take a longer time to heat up than thinner wires. Add the solder to the top of the wire, rather than touching the tip of your soldering fun with the solder. Don’t over apply — you need just enough solder that the strands of the wires are fully coated.
- Remove the soldering gun and allow the joint to cool completely. While you wait for the wire to cool, clean your soldering gun against a damp sponge. Once your joint is cool, inspect the solder to ensure that you’ve completely coated all of the copper. If you have silicone on hand, rub some over the joint to make it waterproof.
- Now, pull your heat shrink over the soldered area. Heat the shrink tubing with a shrink gun or a lighter until it is completely wrapped around the joint. There should be no space between the heat wrap and the joint. Heat from the middle and move outward.
Making Vehicle Repairs on Your Own?
If you’re working hard to repair your car by yourself, you’ll have questions from time to time. It’s key to have a reliable source from which you get your vehicle information. Check out Vehicle History for tips from experts and drivers who are working hard to complete automotive maintenance and repairs on their own.
